Steve Daines: A year ago you took an oath as a juror in the first Senate trial of Donald Trump to “do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws, so help you god.” Trump was accused of soliciting political help from foreign countries, using US military aid as a bribe, and obstructing justice. His guilt was demonstrated by his own words, by the White House transcript of the “perfect call.” He did solicit political help from Ukraine and China. He did use military aid as an inducement — a bribe — to get political help from Ukraine. He did obstruct justice. Even his own lawyers didn’t deny that he did these things. Instead their defense was that Democrats were partisan. Everybody does it. Democrats are worse. They want to nullify the election. Look at Biden! Hillary! Trump’s defenders didn’t refute the charges, they just threw out attack after attack to distract from the evidence of his guilt.
You voted to acquit in spite of the evidence. Your vote told Trump that he could do anything, that he wasn’t restrained by our laws. You emboldened him to incite the insurrection of Jan. 6 when he sent an armed mob to the Capitol to halt the peaceful transfer of power. The lives of political leaders, even Vice President Pence, were threatened.
History is giving you a do-over. You can correct your mistake and show that your oath means something. And if you now hold Trump accountable, you will also hold future presidents to a higher standard and protect our children from further abuses. I genuinely hope that, this time, you will see past short-term political expedience.
Vote to hold Donald Trump accountable. Do impartial justice. Honor your oath.
Neil Schwarzwalder
Bozeman
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letter to the Editor 2/14/21